Happy Birthday Walter Bishop: Uncle BeBop

Walter Bishop, Jr. ( pianist ) was born on April 10, 1927 in New York City and passed away on January 24, 1998 at the age of 70 in Manhattan.

A pianist during the bebop era, he played and recorded with many jazz greats, including Art Blakey, Charlie Parker, Blue Mitchell, Curtis Fuller, Oscar Pettiford, John Coltrane and Miles Davis. In the early 1960s he also led his own trio with Jimmy Garrison and G. T. Hogan.

Walter Bishop, Jr. was a valuable utility pianist on many a modern jazz session during the bebop era, remaining an active performer until his death at the age of 70 in early 1998. The son of composer Walter Bishop, Sr., he grew up in Harlem’s Sugar Hill area, and as a teen counted among his friends Sonny Rollins, Kenny Drew, and Art Taylor; acknowledging Art Tatum, Bud Powell, and Nat King Cole as important influences.

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Robert, thanks for the post. Walter Bishop was a personal friend when I lived in NYC. Always had words of advice and invited me on stage to join him whenever I was at one of his performances. Lou Donaldson, Barry Harris, James Moody, Roy Brooks, Frank Foster, Max Roach, Clifford Jordan, Harold Vick, George Coleman, Walter Bishop and others took me under their wings especially when they found out I loved Charlie Parker and had written lyrics to many of is classic compositions notably "My Little Suede Shoes". Before his passing Walter presented me a handmade note book of his Poetry. My favorite is 'ODE TO BIRD".

Spread the word! The Legacy Continues! Coming to a City Near You! Revolutionizing Jazz with New Sounds!! The Wallace Roney Group fresh off tour with sold out performances in Vienna, Tbilisi Georgia, Germany, Switzerland, Amsterdam, Cape Town & Johannesburgh South Africa, Atlanta GA, Williamstown College and Scullers Jazz Club Boston Mass.

George, thank you and thank GOD for blessing you with insight to create WDCJN! The Network has been my connection to the greatest Jazz Legends alive today and Emerging Jazz Icons. Many of whom I've met and collaborated with over the last 3 yrs after our introduction. Its a Wonderful thing when Creativity collides with History, Experience and Cosmic Energy and that's exactly the vortex you've created with the WDCJN. Keep letting your light Shine Brother,......... Keep letting it SHINE~~~Lou

I strongly believe that technology is here to help the art form, not to overwhelm it, but tragically, with a very few, each day more and more scarce exceptions, the invention of the microphone, that is credited to the German Emile Berliner in 1876

Jimmy HeathDiz to Today
By Dan OuelletteThe amiable 87-year-old saxophonist, educator, NEA Jazz Master, big band leader and elder statesman in the Heath Brothers group is optimistic about the future of jazz as he keeps “the continuum” going.

Benny Sharoni, an Israeli-born, Boston-based tenor saxophonist, can energize even the largest, most lackluster venue with his big-toned sound and ebullient phrasing, packed with intense emotion and spirituality, a vibrant hybrid of the hip and the holy."

Using as a model a pocket watch he had borrowed from a merchant or traveler, Banneker carved wooden replicas of each piece and used the parts to make a clock that struck hourly. He completed the clock in 1753, at the age of 21. Due to its precision (it struck every hour, on the hour, and continued to do so nearly forty years) the clock brought fame to young Banneker. Thus he began a watch and clock repair business. The clock continued to work until his death.Read more....

Put it this way: Jazz is a good barometer of freedom… In its beginnings, the United States of America spawned certain ideals of freedom and independence through which, eventually, jazz was evolved, and the music is so free that many people say it is the only unhampered, unhindered expression of complete freedom yet produced in this country.~~~Duke Ellington

W.D.C.J.N. is one of the first American Jazz Networks to embrace the remaining truly great Jazz legends of our times and upcoming Jazz greats through today’s social media.

The W.D.C.J.N. is now internationally reaching Jazz musician, enthusiasts and aficionados, promoters, festivals of Jazz around the world. A real eye opener for people researching the history and present day development an evolution of America’s only original art form and historical legacy.

I fully endorse this institution "The Washington DC Jazz Network" and encourage anyone that is fond of Jazz to visit the Washington D.C. Jazz Network; today and become a member or make a donation to a worthy cause.

Hello George, I am proud to be a member of the Washington DC Jazz Network (WDJN).
I am able to find out what's going on in town and on the east coast
and to network with other musicians. I get a lot of my news from the emails I receive from WJN.
I also would like to thank you for supporting the Jazz
program at Howard University in Washington, DC. Keep up the great work.~~~FRED IRBY

The guest soloist will be saxophonist Javon Jackson. Mr. Jackson is a veteran of the bands of Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Elvin Jones and Les McCann. There will also be a performance by AFRO BLUE, the award winning vocal jazz ensemble.

Critics have their purposes, and they're supposed to do what they do, but sometimes they get a little carried away with what they think someone should have done, rather than concerning themselves with what they did~~~Duke Ellington

W.D.C.J.N. is one of the first American Jazz Networks to embrace the remaining truly great Jazz legends of our times and upcoming Jazz great through today’s social media.

The W.D.C.J.N. is now internationally reaching Jazz musician, enthusiasts and aficionados, promoters, festivals of Jazz around the world. A real eye opener for people researching the history and present day development an evolution of America’s only original art form and historical legacy.

I fully endorse this institution and encourage anyone that is fond of Jazz to visit the Washington D.C. Jazz Network; today and become a member or make a donation to a worthy cause.

Tony Adamo and the New York Crew- YOU GOTTA’ B FLY: It’s just not that often that I get this “hepped up”… Tony’s spoken/hip word is too much to pass by without reviewing it right away… so, this went right to the top of the review stack! As you listen to his superlative vocal skills on the fantastic opener, “Gale Blowin’ High“, you’ll become “instantly hip” – even if you never heard jazz like this before. The players behind each of the eleven tunes join right in, & it’s not like most…